It's threads like this that really drive home the need for How To panels on walk-ons for conventions.

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Agreed.
NDK had a hilarious "How to put together a cosplay skit" panel, but I've never seen one for walk ons... It'd definately be helpful. *writes it down*

For my walk-on this year as Alucard from Castlevania, I'm gonna charge in cloaked, flourish with a huge cape twirl (the cape is huge), generally look pretty, and brandish the weapons. All with "Bloody Tears" from the series playing. It's pretty epic. I REALLY hope I don't trip during that spin...

Does anyone have any ideas of how I could make my walk-on not boring? I'm going to be going on as Wedding Yuna for NDK and I had an idea for two other people to join me but it doesnt look likes its gonna happen...

You could get some romantic music or wedding music, walk on elegantly (maybe with a veil over your face and then dramatically lift it to reveal the costume?), make a few poses to show off the costume from different angles (walk in a small circle when turning in a long dress), then leave the way you came.

You could get some romantic music or wedding music, walk on elegantly (maybe with a veil over your face and then dramatically lift it to reveal the costume?), make a few poses to show off the costume from different angles (walk in a small circle when turning in a long dress), then leave the way you came.

Given some conventions have pre-selected "runway" music for their walk on sections (our show uses this practice) I wouldn't rely to heavily on custome music. But the poses sound awesome. This particular costume is a good attention grabber from the get go, so you really should have no trouble gathering the eyes with it. The poses will definately enhance your hold on the audience.

Given some conventions have pre-selected "runway" music for their walk on sections (our show uses this practice) I wouldn't rely to heavily on custome music.

Wow. o.O :/

I've never (in 29 years of attending conventions) yet been to one that did not allow "walk-on's" (AKA, dialog-less character-display mini-presentations) to provide their own music, particularly as so many such presentations benefit from the use of snippets of recognizable character-related music that ties into the show or game source of the costume, or at least presents the perfect "mood" they are trying to project in their 15-30 seconds of dramatic posing, martial arts moves, whatever.

I would think requiring the use of a default "runway music" (instead of making it optional) would hamper the creativity of a good walk-on presentation, and encourage people to think of a "walk-on" as a fashion show catwalk exercise. This is contrary to what I'm used to, wherein "walk-ons" are encouraged to be "character pieces" that describe the character, but without going into an actual story (aka skit).

I've never (in 29 years of attending conventions) yet been to one that did not allow "walk-on's" (AKA, dialog-less character-display mini-presentations) to provide their own music, particularly as so many such presentations benefit from the use of snippets of recognizable character-related music that ties into the show or game source of the costume, or at least presents the perfect "mood" they are trying to project in their 15-30 seconds of dramatic posing, martial arts moves, whatever.

I would think requiring the use of a default "runway music" (instead of making it optional) would hamper the creativity of a good walk-on presentation, and encourage people to think of a "walk-on" as a fashion show catwalk exercise. This is contrary to what I'm used to, wherein "walk-ons" are encouraged to be "character pieces" that describe the character, but without going into an actual story (aka skit).

This was not a decision we came easily to. It basically came about as a compromise between the audience and the participants. The Judges aren't going to be effected by the music, given it puts all of the walk-ons in a level playing field for that aspect and does not hamper their ability to use stage pressence. Music GREATLY helps the Audience get more into the show, given that at contests I have went to where you had the option of music, half or more of the entires chose to not use the option and the audience was visibly loosing focus.

Ideally, in the future, we might change this policy, but for now it was done to honor our obligations to both our contestants AND our audience.

However, NDK DOES in fact allow for this. You get a 45 second clip of music. Keep in mind that they start the music as soon as they call your name and series... it takes approx 9-12 seconds to get up the ramp onto the actual stage. About 14 for a large costume (Out of all the entries last year, I took 3rd longest to get on stage XD)

Music GREATLY helps the Audience get more into the show, given that at contests I have went to where you had the option of music

I apologize; perhaps I wasn't clear - I meant "music the contestants are allowed to provide", with the option that otherwise YOU will be providing music for newbies or last-minute-unprepared entries, not "total silence".

I don't understand the "level playing field" concept of runway music for walk-ons, any more than requiring all skits to use the same music. A GOOD walk-on is actually as much a character description piece as it is a costume display, and generic music, if compulsory, is hard-pressed to cover characters that may vary from sweet and childlike to menacing and evil and sometimes very R-rated.

Here are some classic-type "walk-ons" I've seen (award-winning, BTW):

1) Zelda (Legend of Zelda) walks onstage looking lost, makes a few gestures as if searching into the distance, Link comes out, she sees him, they embrace (while conveniently turning as they do so so as to show all sides of the costumes), they exit hand in hand in apparent happiness. Pre-recorded snippets of the game music play and fade out during this. No dialog, no story, but something short and sweet that shows off the costumes and a bit of personality.

2) D (Vampire Hunter D) stalks out onstage, draws and brandishes his sword in a couple of snazzy moves, holds out his palm to the audience, and stalks off with a determined ferocious glare. Pre-recorded snippets of the movie music play and fade out during this.

3) Akito/Agito (Air Gear) walks out looking innocent and cute in a straightjacket. As the pre-recorded music suddenly swells to a fierce metal rhythm the character breaks free of the straightjacket and does three acrobatic martial arts moves, music quickly fades and he is gone, like a shadow.

All of those were actually "walk-ons", the longest being 20-25 seconds at the most. At some events which make the distinction, I suppose, they might have to register as a "skit" in order to do the presentation they intended.

They are as much "walk-ons" as the graceful Fairy who glides out, twirls, flutters her sleeves, waves her wand, curtseys gracefully to the judges, and spins offstage to a short snippit of "Spring" by Vivaldi, or the poor brand-newbie who hasn't yet learned from observation that a good "walk-on" is not just "walk out, walk off in less than 10 seconds, leave the audience wondering what kind of character you were supposed to be."

Most dialog-less 1-character presentations are going to be "walk-ons", but with a really good "walk-on", the line defining it from "skit" gets blurry - so where do you draw it, and should you draw it at all? A classic excellent walk-on is very likely to be the equivalent of a very, very short story-less "mini-skit" that really just shows the personalit(ies) of the character(s) (as well as of course showing off all sides of the costume), and thus walk-on's cannot really operate under a separate set of "walk-on rules".

And when I have a been a presentation judge, we have not found it necessary to use a separate judging category for "walk-on's" either. An impressively done one WILL catch our attention.

Let me also say I am a huge supporter of the "no microphones" policy. I firmly believe in using pre-recorded material always for clarity (and so audiences can actually HEAR any spoken dialog), and having a good (preferably stage-experienced) sound engineer who feeds in and works on the lineup (and notes all the sound cues ,such as "MC reads intro, then cue recording", "cue immediately & MC will read description after", wait for char to get to center stage & cue", "music fade-out is already programmed into Entry #8's recording" etc.) BEFORE the Masquerade takes place.

Let me also say I am a huge supporter of the "no microphones" policy. I firmly believe in using pre-recorded material always for clarity (and so audiences can actually HEAR any spoken dialog), and having a good (preferably stage-experienced) sound engineer who feeds in and works on the lineup (and notes all the sound cues ,such as "MC reads into, then cue recording", "cue immediately & MC will read description after", wait for char to get to center stage & cue", "fade in music is already programmed into Entry #8's recording" etc.) BEFORE the Masquerade takes place.

This is a policy our contest will be implementing at Ikki 3. We will be phasing out non-recored skits this year through a rehersal process what will let all entries who are not pre-recorded know that they are the last batch that will be allowed into the contest.

This was not a decision we came easily to. It basically came about as a compromise between the audience and the participants. The Judges aren't going to be effected by the music, given it puts all of the walk-ons in a level playing field for that aspect and does not hamper their ability to use stage pressence.

I think that there should be some generic music for use by contestants who didn't bring their own, but I do not understand why people who want to use their own music should be forced to use generic music that may not suit their costumes, just because they're going on solo. I see that as extremely unfair; it treats solo entries as second-class.

As many have mentioned previously, character is the key. Once you've got that figured out, then it's all yours. xD
Pose and act in character. Get in the mood. CHANNEL THE CHARACTER. D; I sound like a freak when I say this, but, CHANNEL HIM/HER.

For example, I've got AMAZING examples of AMAZINGLY in-character, more or less, walk-ons from Kingdom Hearts.

As many have mentioned previously, character is the key. Once you've got that figured out, then it's all yours. xD
Pose and act in character. Get in the mood. CHANNEL THE CHARACTER. D; I sound like a freak when I say this, but, CHANNEL HIM/HER.

For example, I've got AMAZING examples of AMAZINGLY in-character, more or less, walk-ons from Kingdom Hearts.

that's a LOT of people. don't most (american) cons have a limit to the amount of performers they allow onstage? granted, that was like, epic, but it might be impossible for an american group to do.

plus, i think the sheer size of that group was it's most defining feature. i think if there were fewer people it would allow for more characterization, which would allow the audience to feel more "involved." but, then again, i'm kinda speaking out of jealousy because pfft, i want to be in a ginormeous group like that (that's so coooool). ><;;